Washing your obi/belt?

[Jussi Häkkinen]

They do!!!! We tell all our beginners dont put your white belt in with your gi as it turns everything brown - strange but true I promise!!

It depends on the manufacturer. Some cheaper belts have a low quality, unwashed "core" material that may be pretty much any colour. Kwon, for example, has used brown-ish core material that, indeed, will dye the outer layer of belt brown when washed. Their coloured belts also loose colour rather heavily - the fabrics haven't been prewashed (or preshrunk, either) before assembly.

Generally, if you pay $5-$10 or some other minimal sum, you should expect that your belt will loose colour in the wash. If you get a good quality colour belt (these exist, too - some are for competition purposes and some firms just have decided to put some effort to colour belts as well), you should expect to pay similar sums of money as you would for a good quality black belt.

[KarateK]

Am only talking about white belts, and as (hopefully) these arent worn for long its pointless to spend money on a seperate one as opposed to the one you get with your gi

[Shotokan-kez]

The only belt i have washed is my white belt. I never washed any other but i have never lost any knowledge or anything else for my karate...i'm still as good as i always was.

[ramymensa]

Well, I wash mine. In the end it's equipment as my karategi. I have a clean karategi, don't know why I should have a dirty belt. i am not that into the "spiritual" beliefs I'm afraid

[RichardHangHong]

I can't remember if I ever washed my white belt as it was so many years ago. I'm sure my mum washed mine when I did karate as a little kid though.

[KarateK]

I dont wash my belt - granted it hasnt been used in nearly a month now grrrrr

[RichardHangHong]

I dont wash my belt - granted it hasnt been used in nearly a month now grrrrr

How's the leg injury KarateK? Are you getting surgery or just physio?

[KarateK]

I kind of refused physio as couldnt have the time off work.

Got to go in for an arthroscopy but with current waiting lists could be up to 6 months, again grrrrr

[jaymac]

That stinks KarateK. Are you still having alot of pain?

[KarateK]

It hurts less now, more so when I am walking around on it. It aches every day but that I can live with.